Refrigerated transport provider, SRT Logistics, has taken delivery of four new Australian-made Euro 6 IVECO X-Way prime movers.
The 6×4 prime movers have been assigned to the company's Laverton North depot where they will be used to help meet rising demand in the wholesale and retail food sector.
Operating from Port Melbourne, where they are loaded with goods that have arrived from Tasmania, the X-Way trucks are towing single trailers to the distribution centres of the major supermarket chains.
Trailers are coupled and uncoupled an estimated 15 times a day, seven days a week.
According to SRT Logistics Director Brent Miller, who started out as a company driver before he bought the business in partnership with his brother Robert in 2012, the IVECO X-Way allows operators to connect or disconnect the trailer more efficiently given the connections for the airlines and cab tilt are on the driver's side of the cabin.
“They don’t even have to step up onto the catwalk, it can all be done at ground level,” he said.
“This makes the process safer, faster and overall just easier, especially considering that they are coupling and uncoupling so many times per day.”
Looking at the specification of the X-Way, Miller decided it was ideal for single trailer metropolitan work.
“With output of 460 horsepower and 2150 Nm, a 12-speed automated manual transmission and a full suite of safety features, on paper the X-Way ticked all the boxes for us. We then had the opportunity to access a demonstrator which confirmed that the model was an ideal fit for our application,” he said.
“The engine is responsive and output is right where it needs to be — why pay for extra horsepower when it’s not required? Contracting to the major supermarket chains, we also needed to meet certain emission and safety standards, which the X-Way easily does.”
Among the X-Way’s safety equipment is Adaptive Cruise Control, ABS brakes with Advanced Emergency Braking System, Electronic Stability Program, Anti-Slip Regulator, Hill Holder and Lane Departure Warning System, ensuring the trucks are brimming with active safety features.
The X-Way’s ergonomics and cabin appointments also ranked highly by Miller. He says the positive feedback from the drivers is an endorsement that the correct decision was made in purchasing the new trucks.
“The drivers have commented that the steering is lighter than on the other European brand trucks that the X-Ways replaced, and that the turning circle is great – important characteristics considering the amount of tight manoeuvring these trucks do every day,” he said.
“The pedal placement is also excellent as is the quality of the seating and other cabin appointments, which make for a very user-friendly and comfortable truck, especially in the city.”
The new commercial vehicles, which have been allocated each to a specific driver, first arrived earlier this year in April.
Servicing is being carried out by Adtrans Truck Centre, which is nearby to SRT’s Melbourne depot.
SRT Logistics has previously used Eurocargos as part of its medium duty fleet and more recently added to its fleet four 6×2 Stralis ATi rigids.